Sunday, January 31, 2010

Developer messes up, then whines to BSA

The smoldering struggle between Dutch Kills residents and a hotel builder flared anew Tuesday as the factions clashed over a variance request that could set the stage for further development in the neighborhood.

The Dutch Kills Civic Association and the Dutch Kills Community Advocacy Unit asked the city Board of Standards and Appeals to forbid real estate developer Steven Bahar from going ahead with the hotel under construction at 39-35 27th St. in the section of Long Island City.

The City Council rezoned the neighborhood in 2008, reducing the maximum height manufacturers — and hoteliers — are allowed to build.

Although Bahar’s $3.8 million plan was one of 14 hotels that was approved by the city Department of Buildings, he was unable to lay the foundation before the rezone took effect.

Marvin Mitzner, an attorney representing Bahar, said his client had used his life savings for the project but suffered grievous financial losses because of stop-work orders from the DOB for unsafe working conditions and other grounds as well as from other adverse conditions and circumstances.

Attorney Steven Moffei, representing the Dutch Kills residents, said the problems Bahar complained about “were of his own making.”

Wait - The Dutch kills Civic Association actually wants to halt a construction project? What happened? They have decided that they have enough hotels to ruin the neighborhood now? I guess it's OK to bring in the hookers now, huh?

I happen to know that Bahar was racking up stop work orders on an almost weekly basis and he never even completed the foundation!! What would this guy do with a crane if he was allowed to continue building? THERE IS A SCHOOL ON THAT BLOCK!!The only thing Behar managed to accomplish was to ruin the foundation of the adjacent house. Now the Dutch Kills Civic Assoc. comes riding to the "rescue" after making it possible for guys like this to build in the first place - It was DKCA that defended the city's foot draging with the EIS - thus slowing the re-zoning process and making it possible for half these fools to try to "beat the clock." That new group, The Dutch Kills Advocacy Unit did all the legwork, raised the funding to get a lawyer to stop this guy, and rolled up their sleeves and accomplished something. Predictably, here comes the DKCA pushing its way in to get a share of the credit in the papers. Thanks for nothing George!

Hotels my ass. Who the hell builds a hotel without any kind of off-street provision for car parking whatsoever? Make no mistake, these "hotels" are really intended to be nothing but SRO residences in the near future.

So many anonymous comments... All trashing a 30 year old organization that has done nothing but support the people of Dutch Kills and advocate for improved quality of life for such residents. Signed proudly, Kim Teixeira, VP DKCA. Go at it "anonymous folks" keep slinging mud in the name of 'Unity'

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